The Mischief of Nightmares
by SincerelyKayo
Summary: Loki is dragged to Earth by Thor for "Brotherly Bonding time." While there, the god of mischief meets the newest Avenger, a girl who brings you face to face with your worst nightmares and memories with a single touch. Loki quickly discovers that this girl sees him for who he really is: a kind, misunderstood creature who just wants to be noticed and loved for who he is.


"If you touch her, you will experience your worst nightmare." The man named Stark's voice was even, cold even. Loki smirked, allowing his eyes to stray to the girl once more. She was small, most probably rather young. Her hair hung about her broad, and impressively muscular, shoulders in tangled caramel brown curls. She carried herself like a soldier, her back straight and rigid, each movement careful and even, not wasted, like that of a great cat. Yes, the girl in walking away, in loose grey trousers and an oversized tunic, hair a mess and some form of sustenance, curiously known as _Ben and Jerry's, _was a woman perpetually on her guard, even now when she was obviously in a state of rest. She was obviously a hunter, a fighter. A man would be hard pressed to get the upper-hand with her. Loki found it intoxicating.

"If you say so," he said, turning his face slowly back to the pathetic man in front of him, smirk in place. Stark snorted.

"Make sure he stays away from her Sparky," he said before leaving.

"You would do well to listen to him brother. He knows of things you do not," Thor said, that infernal smile on his face as he led them both further into the facility. Loki rolled his eyes.

"Why are we here again?" Loki demanded. He winced as Thor clapped him on the shoulder.

"Midgard is a wonderful place! I thought it would be enjoyable for you to experience it when not attempting to conquer it," Thor said.

"I am not in need of a holiday," Loki quipped. Thor laughed.

"Then let us consider this bonding time!" he exclaimed.

"I would rather retire. It has been a long day," Loki said. Thor, the _thunder god, _almost pouted.

"Very well then. We shall enjoy various festivities in the morning!" Thor said. Loki rolled his eyes, turning to leave.

"Your room is on the top floor!" Thor said, before continuing to what Stark had referred to as "the common room". Loki rubbed a hand over his eyes, before bounding up the stairs. His reconciliation with Thor had come with its own set of problems. Most particularly, a lack of alone time. Thor seemed intent on making up for all the failures of his youth, insisting that he and Loki spend various days as 'brotherly bonding time'. It was enough to drive the god of mischief mad!

The various activities Thor had come up with previously usually consisted of hunting or attending some festivity somewhere on Asgard but this time Thor had dragged him to Midgard for gods knew what.

Thus far, the only enjoyable part of their nine hours here had been seeing the girl and getting threatened by that arrogant scientist. "He wasn't threatening you," a soft, rich, strangely weighted voice said. Loki lifted his head in surprise at the girl leaning against the rails in front of him. Loki's mouth went dry as the breath left his body. The girl was staring at him, her green eyes, his colour, almost crushing him with their contents. They seemed endless in their misery, never ending in the pain they exhibited. As he stared into them, he saw images from his own life reflecting back him. Loki broke his stare, fighting to recover his breath.

"Wasn't he?" he asked. The girl smirked, the motion not reaching her dull eyes.

"He was speaking the truth. If you touch me, I make you see everything you wish you would never see, relive every bad day and all the worst moment of your life. It wasn't a threat. It's a reality. You can see it in my eyes now, can't you?" she asked. Loki forced himself to walk forward, coming until he stood right in front of the girl, towering over her. She was even smaller than she had originally appeared, barely reaching to the bottom part of his bicep. Loki bent down, expecting the girl to flinch and move away from him. Instead, she held her ground, turning those bewitching eyes, still filled with images of his own torments up to his own. Loki forced his gaze to focus on the rest of her face. From this close, he could see the various little scars littering it. A small white scar in the upper right portion of her lip, marring her cupid's bow, a jagged cut running from below her left eye all the way to her slightly above her eyebrow, and mark, about an inch descending from her hairline.

The girl had obviously encountered her share of battles. Her lack of reaction to his close proximity unnerved him, though he refused to admit it. And so, he bent his head a little closer. "I see nothing," he said bitingly. He turned and forced himself on his way.


End file.
